Jim Hillibish: Hey campers, don't forget your hobo packet

Warm summer days on camping trips in the woods recall our mother’s response to portable nutrition — the hobo packet. These are foil packets she crafted for meats and vegetables. She tightly sealed and froze them overnight and insisted we place them on a grill or the white coals of a campfire and cook for 20 minutes.

Warm summer days on camping trips in the woods recall our mother’s response to portable nutrition — the hobo packet.

These are foil packets she crafted for meats and vegetables. She tightly sealed and froze them overnight and insisted we place them on a grill or the white coals of a campfire and cook for 20 minutes.

“No peeking,” she said.

With patience, we had a hearty, healthy meal right out of our backpacks that tasted for all the better in the woods after a long hike. It was camp economy perfected. We ate out of the packet and had no dishes to wash.

Mothers soon got creative and added a splash of Worcestershire sauce or Italian dressing. Then came ethnic influences, including salsa and garlic tomato sauces.

Somehow, the technique got the “hobo” theme, but there was more to it. Mom didn’t know it, but she was emulating an ancient French cookery technique called en papillote (in packet).

Chefs tightly wrapped meat and vegetables in parchment and cooked them over grills or in ovens. It was especially handy for fish, as packets are almost impossible to overcook.